PREVALENCE OF ENTEROHAEMORRHAGIC ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7, SHIGA TOXIN GENES AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN CHILDREN AGED 0-5 YEARS WITH DIARRHOEA IN IBADAN, OYO STATE

Abstract

Diarrhoea is a predominant cause of childhood illness and death, Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) have increasingly been recognised as an important cause of diarrhea all over the world. This study investigates the prevalence, presence of shiga toxin (Stx) and antibiotic resistance of Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 in children with diarrhoea. Stool samples collected from children less than five year with diarrhoea were cultured, bacteria isolated were identified and antibiotics susceptibility testing was performed using standard methods. Entrohaemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 and Stx were screened using serology and Polymerase Chain Reaction respectively. Structured questionnaires were administered to determine factors that predispose the children to diarrhoea. A total of 301/370 (81.4%) stool samples yielded bacterial growth, 261/301 (86.7%) were gram negative bacilli, 188/261 (72.0%) Escherichia coli, 163/188 (86.7%) were EHEC O157: H7. Out of the 5 EHEC O157:H7 only 2 possessed Stx genes, 1 have Stx 2 while the other have both Stx 1 and Stx 2 gene. Escherichia coli were resistant to Tetracycline 98.4%, Ampicillin 83.0%, Cefuroxime 76.5%, Augmentin 62.9% and Gentamycin 51.4%, all the EHEC O157:H7 were resistant to Tetracycline and Ampicillin. Diarrhoea in the children were significantly associated with hand wash after toilet, eating pastries, sources of drinking water and the educational level of parent/caretaker (p-values = 0.04, 0.00, 0.00 and 0.03 respectively). The presence of EHEC O157:H7 carrying Stx 1 and Stx 2 gene as well as resistant to all antibiotics tested is a pointer for more stringent and better screening for diarrhoea infections in children.